1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to suction cleaners and to a multiple nozzle opening nozzle construction for a suction cleaner normally used at the end of a wand, and which nozzle construction may include a power driven rotary brush in the normal main nozzle opening or passage. More particularly, the invention relates to the construction of such a nozzle with secondary edge cleaning nozzle means formed along at least one end edge of the main nozzle preferably extending at right angles with respect to the main nozzle opening to facilitate cleaning along the baseboard at a corner between a floor and a room side wall by movement of such one nozzle edge back and forth along the floor in close proximity to the baseboard.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The usual suction nozzle of a suction cleaner, whether an upright-type cleaner mounted on wheels and manipulated by a pivoted handle, or an attachment nozzle removably mounted on the end of a wand which in turn is connected by a flexible duct with an upright cleaner or a tank-type cleaner, or a canister-type cleaner, has an elongated main suction opening extending crosswise of the direction of movement of the nozzle across a floor, whether or not the main nozzle has an associated sweep or power driven brush.
It is simple to perform a normal cleaning operation by moving such usual suction cleaner nozzle to and fro across a floor or floor covering being cleaned. However, it is difficult to accomplish efficient cleaning with such usual nozzle along the baseboard at a corner between a room wall and floor.
Various prior devices have been proposed in which a secondary nozzle opening is provided located or extending along one end edge of the main nozzle forming walls communicating with the suction source passage for the main nozzle and having valve means at the suction source passage to cut off the suction to the main nozzle opening and bypass the suction to the secondary nozzle opening. Another prior device has involved a convertor attachment including a suction duct having at one end a secondary edge suction nozzle housing removably mounted exteriorly at an end of the main nozzle wall. The duct or tube means is provided at its other end with a convertor adapted in effect to be plugged into a suction passageway of various types of cleaners. Examples of such prior constructions are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,348,861 and 3,377,647.
Such prior constructions, while serving to accomplish so-called edge cleaning along baseboards in a reasonably efficient manner, involve complications in construction, operation and use. Thus, in the first described prior device, which involves a cut-off valve at the main suction passage, special passage housing walls enclosing a large segment of the device are used together with a complicated valve-actuating mechanism, which has actuating parts located inside of and outside of the various suction passages, and has an actuator which extends to the exterior of the cleaner housing for actuation.
The second described prior device involves a flexible tube or duct device having special convertor connector means at one end and removable nozzle means at the other end, which device must be mounted as a convertor attachment on the primary cleaner when used. The convertor connector at one end of the attachment must be adequately sealed when plugged into the convertor receiver opening. The auxiliary nozzle at the other end of the convertor attachment duct must be properly located and positioned with respect to the floor when placed on the main cleaner housing, in order to supply adequate cleaning suction for an edge cleaning operation.
Furthermore, neither of the prior devices provides access for easily cleaning foreign matter from the convertor or by-pass passage which may become lodged or stuck in the passage which connects the secondary edge cleaning nozzle with the primary source of cleaner suction.
Thus, a need exists in the suction cleaner field for a simplified cleaner nozzle construction having secondary nozzle means adapted for edge cleaning which eliminates the described prior art complications in construction and operation, which simplifies the valve means arrangement for the secondary edge cleaning nozzle, and which permits ready access to the passage communicating between the secondary nozzle and the main source of cleaner suction, for removing or clearing foreign material lodged in such passage.